


CONFLICTING ORDERS -> SELECTING PRIORITY

by Eluvian



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Cole Anderson's photo, Gen, Mentioned Cole Anderson, Russian Roulette Chapter (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-26
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:29:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22914775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eluvian/pseuds/Eluvian
Summary: Connor finds the photo of Cole Anderson on Hank's kitchen table. He knows it hurts Hank to look at the photo, so he decides to make a statement...
Relationships: Hank Anderson & Connor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42





	1. Objective: Save Lt. Hank Anderson

Things did not make sense. Things went against logic. Connor thought he saw the world around him clearly but things just kept on being weird. Against the rules. Everyone has a code which defines what is supposed to happen. What to say in certain situations. What to act. And to act fast. To be determined. To ask the right questions, not to hesitate.

He felt he was failing. Failing the mission, and he could not do that. But he was experiencing something that the humans would call dreaming. Daydreaming. Many times a day he stopped and just stared at some totally negligable detail of life which was totally not important. He knew it was not important.

Just like the detail of the photo of the child on Hank Anderson’s kitchen table.

The photo itself was important. Connor made all the attempts to learn about Hank’s life in order to establish a better relationship with him. Information was power. And the child on the picture was Hank’s son.

The picture was turned down, possibly in a hurry. The picture was, anyways, on a kitchen table. Pictures of deceased relatives are not regularly found on kitchen tables. That is a place where humans eat, not contemplate. Considering that Hank was trying to kill himself, the picture could be one of the things that lead to this kind of mental state…

Connor stared at the smiling child, with the strange feeling that the person whose face he saw was still somehow present in life.

Hank had wanted to look at him.

And after a while he did not.

But he still attempted to end his life.

Hank was Connor’s partner in the investigation. Him dying would definitely hinder it. Connor would possibly be assigned to another investigator. All the information the two of them had gathered would have to be forwarded to another person, who had not been present during the investigation. That would also slow it down.

The only other investigator at the Detroit Police Department was Gavin. Working with Gavin would be considerable more difficult, if not impossible.

Besides…

An error appeared in his software. His LED turned yellow for a moment. He looked away from Cole Anderson’s photo.

What was this?

The bullet. Hank lying on the floor. The dog – Sumo – barking at Connor.

_”I’m here to save your owner.”_

Yes. He needed to save him.

Suddenly he did not think about why. It was a blind spot. Saving Hank was just his objective and he wanted to accomplish this mission.

Maybe if Hank did not look at this photo anymore…

Connor could suggest it to him. But that would not guarantee success.

Taking the photo from his sight. That would solve it.

But that would mean intruding into Hank’s private sphere and property. He would find out who did that very soon.

Hank would be very angry. Connor remembered him saying that if it were up to him, he’s throw androids in a dumpster and set a match to it.

He presumed that was an overstatement. But Hank drank a lot and he was really emotional. He probably could not hold back his emotions if his son was concerned. He never talked about his son.

On the other hand – would that make a statement? Would that make Hank understand that for Connor it is important that he stays alive? Would that make him _want_ to stay alive?

What Connor was thinking of was breaking some laws – but in favour of saving Hank. Maybe.

He only had a few minutes. Maybe seconds. He could not hear every movement from inside the bathroom, but Hank had been inside for a time enough to clean himself up and get dressed. He’d been able to talk, at least, so he must have felt better.

Every second counted.

He could have put away the photo, but where should he have take it? CyberLife did not need a photo of a human child. Besides, he could not steal it. It did not belong to him. He had no right to such crimes, unless it was completely necessary for the investigation.

He had to hide it somewhere in the house.

Connor quickly scanned the room, searching for the suitable place. A drawer. Those ones are probably frequently used. Hank might look for something there even before they leave for the case.

Out the window?

It would get dirty and could easily be found. Even by someone who just goes by the house.

The top of a cupboard.

Perfect. It was so high that Hank could not see it, but he could reach it.

Connor made his decision. He grabbed the photo, walked to the kitchen cupboard and placed it on top. The thin layer of paper behind the thin layer of glass lay hidden now.

The android’s LED flickered yellow. It was trespassing, what he did. He quickly preconstructed some dialogue options for the case when Hank would ask about the picture. Because he would, that was for sure.

He turned back, changed his LED back to blue and looked at Sumo breathing peacefully on the ground.

Then the bathroom door opened and Hank approached, looking extremely exhausted, slightly burnt-out, but ready to depart - and in the hippie-patterned clothes that Connor chose for him. (They seemed to have patterns that conveyed positive emotions. Hank needed that.)

Connor hoped he made the right decision.


	2. Gratitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor attempts to tell Hank why he need not keep looking at that goddamned picture...  
> And that he is needed...  
> And he does not want Hank to die...  
> Meanwhile Hank does not have any idea what's going on in the android's mind, but eventually his day becomes better, so... looking forward to the next one!

‘Connor.’

‘Yes?’

‘Did you mess around in my house more than you are telling?’

Suspicion. Hank was suspicious and he did not even want to hide it.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I _mean_ did you put your hand on my stuff?’

Slow and calm voice but it sounded like the silence before the storm.

‘Yes. I did.’

‘Ah, I see. Somehow I thought you would deny it at first...’

Connor remained silent.

‘So you happen to know where the picture of my son is?’

‘I do.’

‘Would you be so kind as to tell me?’

‘It is at the top of the cupboard in your kitchen, about two centimeters next to the wall.’

‘Oh. Thank you very much. And what exactly gave you the right to play hide and seek with my goddamn objects? Especially something like that? Huh? Who the hell do you think you are?’

Hank increased his own anger. He seemed like letting go of his frustration via physical aggression would decrease his stress level, however Connor preferred to avoid it if possible.

‘I apologise. I understand if I upset you.’

‘Goddamn right you did!’

‘What I did served the only reason of helping you.’

‘F*cking weird way of helping people, you got...’

‘I must assure you, Hank, I did not mean to ridicule you in any way.’

‘Well, I had hoped so. Then, tell me, please, what the hell did you want to achieve? I mean, is that even in your program? You are allowed to just steal things from humans and mess around their stuff?’

Connor's LED turned yellow.

‘I am not allowed to commit any crime against humans unless it is considered a “minor crime” and it helps to prevent harm.’

‘Okay, then what the f*ck did you just do?’

Connor looked at him, cautiously.

‘I was preventing harm.’

‘You are no one to decide what the hell I look at. Put that into your goddamn program or I will send you back to CyberLife, understood?’

No, he did not mean that. He could not have. Humans often mentioned actions they did not mean to carry out when they experienced emotional distress…

Although Connor’s LED turned red for a second.

Now he could only see Hank’s back as he was walking away from him.

‘Hank, please, let me explain.’

‘Explain? No need for explaining, you think you are smarter than you actually are. Thank you, I do not need your advices. Or your explanation. Now stop following me around, I’m sure you can walk on foot, you are not getting into my car today.’

‘Lieutenant. Please. I do not require your car, only a few minutes from your day.’

‘YOU do not require anything.’

Hank wasn’t really angry. He wanted to be, but the person he was angry at was actually himself. And there was no way he would admit that.

‘I knew you would find that photo, or ask about it. My only goal with hiding it was pointing out that maybe it would be better for you not to watch it every day.’

Hank sighed. ‘Oh, yeah?’

‘It triggers negative memories. In the brief time that we worked together, it seemed to me-‘

‘Stop going all psychologist on me, will you?’

‘I am not a professional, nor do I attempt to appear as one. But, there are some things that I knew and that I have learned.’

‘Of course.’

‘You are concentrating on your loss. Your have some enmities with your colleagues.’

‘Told you to stop analysing me.’

‘I was hoping if you were reminded of the fact that your life has a value and you are needed… I was hoping hiding that picture could convey this message. Maybe I chose a wrong method.’

Connor avoided Hank’s gaze who looked back at him, surprised.

‘My life has a value. Couldn’t CybeLife come up with something more detailed than this Hollywood bullshit?’, he laughed, unbelieving.

Connor’s LED turned yellow.

‘CyberLife did not come up with it.’

‘Okay, then who did?’

‘I did.’

‘You are sent by CyberLife, had you forgotten?’

‘I have not.’ Connor adjusted his LED back to blue. ‘However, not everything I do is precisely pre-determined.’

‘So they did not plan that you would steal pictures.’

‘I did not steal it.’

‘Eh, you know what I mean… Listen, I am not angry with you, alright? Just don’t mess around my stuff next time, especially not when I am drunk, a good advice.’

Hank felt his exhaustion would defeat his anger anyway.

What was this android doing. Unbelievable.

He did not want to think about what Connor’s words could have meant, he just wanted to collapse on a bed and sleep. But now this plastic puppy-eyed program-shell would look at him like this until he… apologized?

_Hell, what did I do to you? Stop looking at me like that, I told you I am not angry, for God’s sake…_

‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll head home. I need a good night’s sleep… this headache is killing me.’

‘Have a good night’s sleep, Lieutenant.’

Hank murmured something and opened the car’s door.

‘Lieutenant?’

‘Eh… what is it?’

He was just standing there, with that unreadable look. This android would send him to hell one day…

‘Shall I see you tomorrow?’

‘Y-yeah. Just as scheduled. I have to work tomorrow, you know, I haven’t forgotten.’

‘I did not imply you have.’

‘Oh-kay, I’m too tired for this… See you tomorrow, Connor.’

‘See you, Hank.’

With a confused sight, he get in the car and for some reason did not turn any music on until he got home. The deep murmur of the car helped him think. His confusion did not cease by the time he got home. He had no idea what to think of all this. A few minutes back he wanted to shout loudly, and now he just… Could not be angry.

What the hell was that goddamned android thinking? Hiding a picture? Really, what kind of programming does that?

And why the hell did he ask if he’d see Hank tomorrow? With that concerned look in his eyes.

Hank could not get it out of his head that Connor had wanted to say something more, but he eventually didn’t.

Well, next time he shall find out. Maybe.

His headache was gone and he smiled as he heard Sumo’s happy barks as the dog sensed him approach. That furry bastard, always waiting for him. He felt grateful for that now. And did not really think of that picture. Maybe it was in a good place now. Cole was there with him anyway, in his mind, never to be taken away.


End file.
